Indefinite curfew: uneasy calm prevails in Kashmir

A paramilitary soldier stands guard during curfew in Srinagar. The curfew was imposed following the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. AP/Mukhtar Khan

An armoured vehicle on high alert at Budshah Chowk in Srinagar after curfew was imposed in major parts of Kashmir Valley following the hanging of ...

Paramilitary jawans patrolling a street during curfew in Srinagar. The curfew was imposed following the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. PTI/S Irfan

Chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah during a press conference in Srinagar. PTI/S Irfan

Roads wear a deserted look during curfew in Srinagar. The curfew was imposed following the hanging of Afzal Guru, Jaish-e-Mohammad militant convicted in the attack ...

Policemen erect razor wire during a curfew in Srinagar. The curfew was imposed following the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. AFP/Rouf Bhat

Paramilitary jawans patrolling a street during curfew in Srinagar. The curfew was imposed following the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. PTI/S Irfan

A Kashmiri civilian walks past a policeman standing near a barbed wire during curfew in Srinagar. The curfew was imposed following the hanging of Parliament ...

Curfew continued in Kashmir for the second day on Sunday following hanging of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru in Delhi's Tihar jail.

The restrictions on the movement of people in the Valley were tightened this morning as there were many violations on Saturday, official sources said.

The sources said heavy deployment of police and paramilitary CRPF remained in place in all vulnerable areas of the Valley to maintain law and order.

Deployment of security forces has been strengthened in areas where protests took place on Saturday, they said.

Meanwhile, mobile, internet service remained down for the second day as a precautionary measure and news channels were also not being aired by cable TV operators. Newspapers also failed to hit stands this morning due to curfew.

At least 36 people, including 23 policemen, were injured in clashes between protesters and law enforcing agencies across the Valley after Guru's hanging on Saturday.

In a guarded statement, Jammu and Kashmir chief minsiter Omar Abdullah appealed to people to allow the “time to pass peacefully”, adding that he had issued orders to paramilitary forces and police to show “utmost restraint”.

Curfew in Jammu and Kashmir in likely to stay till February 11, the death anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Maqbool Bhatt.

Union home ministry on Saturday, issued an advisory to all state police forces to remain alert.

The Centre is particularly very cautious of evolving situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Once the decision to hang Guru was cleared, the Centre did a review of the situation in the state. Accordingly, it was decided to impose curfew and suspension of phone, internet and cable services immediately after the hanging.

Guru was an operative of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) that is led by Maulana Masood Azhar. Masood Azhar was freed from Indian prison along with two more terrorists in 1999 during the IC-814 hijack in swap for passengers who had been held hostages in Kandhar of Afghanistan.

After being released by Indian authorities Azhar found Jaish in Pakistan with full state patronage.

But after involvement of some of Jaish operatives in the attack on the then Pakistani president general Pervez Musharraf became known, the ISI sidelined Masood Azhar.

But now with Afzal Guru's hanging Jaish may try to make a comeback.

Jaish is known for its strikes on high-security targets like Jammu and Kashmir state assembly building, the Parliament house and the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Besides, other terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba may try to exploit the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere. All border security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have been asked to remain on high alert.